Balustrades are features in buildings that comprise of a number of upright posts (stanchions or “balusters”) which support a coping or handrail along their upper ends and which often include a so-called “infill” between posts, such as a number of intermediate cross-bars, vertical slats or glass panels. Historically, a wide variety of materials have been used to manufacture balustrades, but the present invention is concerned with balustrades made of metal, e.g. stainless steel, although the features of the present invention can also be used with different materials.
Conventional steel balustrades are typically manufactured by welding the different components together. This can be done by completing all the welding off site and installing the entire balustrade by anchoring it to the adjacent structure, e.g. by bolting it to the adjacent floor and/or walls, but this either requires the adjacent structure to have the exact dimensions to which the balustrade has been made (which is practically very difficult to achieve) or requires construction of the adjacent structure with the balustrade already in place, thus exposing the balustrade to possible damage during construction.
More typically, balustrades are part manufactured off site by making the posts and are then completed on site. This is done by bolting the posts to the adjacent structure, welding the top rail to the posts, drilling holes in the posts, passing steel bars through the drilled holes and welding them in position to form intermediate cross-bars. This manufacturing method holds a number of disadvantages, e.g. in that the posts usually need to be aligned and this is done by placing shims or spacers underneath their bases. Further, the attachment of the posts typically requires them to be bolted to the adjacent structure, leaving unsightly bolt heads visible. Further, the requirement for welding on-site, means that expensive equipment and skilled artisans are required on site, increasing the cost of the balustrade and the cost is increased further if the welds need to be finished to be aesthetically acceptable, e.g. by polishing the welds and adjacent heat affected metal.
The present invention seeks to overcome the disadvantages of existing balustrades and their manufacture and in particular, to provide for the cost effective manufacture of balustrades that are aesthetically pleasing and that can be installed without the need for welding on site.